diaphanous
by warmfuzzies
Summary: [Oneshot] Naruto thought that, if you love someone, your heart would break if you could never be with them. So, why was Sakura so happy?


**diaphanous**

_by warmfuzzies_

"_The heart has reasons that reason does not understand."_

-

-

Even Naruto, who had a penchant for garish oranges and loud noises, would say that the wedding was beautiful. And, if he was a girl, a soft sigh might have escaped his lips as he said it. The whole atmosphere of the ceremony was tranquil, all soft around the edges, like a warm memory. The air was permeated with the fragrance of the cherry blossoms that were strewn along the red carpet weaving up the aisle; frothing white foam on the edges of a sunset red sea.

But his tie was killing him and he really, really needed to go to the bathroom.

Naruto tugged almost helplessly at the burnt orange noose around his neck as he waited for the first strains of "Here Comes The Bride." He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, until Sasuke, who was standing to the side, shot him a pointed look.

_Come on, come on. Let's get this show on the road, dattebayo!_

Naruto glanced aimlessly out at the crowd of people who had gathered, picking out familiar faces here and there. Kakashi-sensei was sitting beside Maito Gai, looking bored out of his mind as Gai enthusiastically waved his arms around. Hyuuga Neji was sitting in an uncomfortable looking beige suit in the far corner, and Tenten and Lee were beside him. Chouji, Ino and Shikamaru were sharing Chouji's bag of chips in the third row. Kiba was sitting in the back talking to Shino who stared wordlessly ahead and Hinata-chan was seated beside Kurenai-sempai in a cute blue dress.

_Geez! Practically of Konoha was invited! _Naruto snorted as he also picked out Shizune-san and Tsunade baa-chan.

Suddenly, his sweeping gaze screeched to a halt. Shock registered in Naruto's bright blue eyes as he took in the familiar figure he had come to know like his own reflection.

_Sakura-chan?_

She was wearing a light green summer dress, which brought out the uncommon pink of her hair and the jade in her eyes and she was seated in the very last row, almost obscured by a marble pillar draped with blossoms. Her hands were folded demurely in her lap and she seemed to be looking at her feet.

Naruto's face, now pinched with worry, felt his heart physically ache for his friend.

_Oh, Sakura-chan..She must be…Why is she…But..?_

Naruto was ready to rush down the aisle and give his best friend a big comforting hug (she needed it and to hell with Sasuke's pointed looks and ceremonial protocol) but he was stopped by what happened next. The swelling of the first bars of the wedding song sounded throughout the hall and the large oak doors in the back flew open. A cute little girl and boy began walking up the aisle, leaving more cherry blossoms in their wake.

But, the fact that the ceremony had begun wouldn't have been enough to stop someone like Naruto. However, a clear lilting laugh he heard just before that made him stop dead in his tracks.

_Nani?!_

Naruto shifted completely so that he could see Sakura-chan more clearly, although now he wasn't facing forward. Sasuke-kun frowned and made a slight jerk forward with his head. Naruto ignored him. He was a bastard, anyways.

It _was_ her laugh! He'd know it anywhere. She was whispering jovially, with Sai beside her, and had placed a slender hand over her mouth to keep the laughter she was shaking with from escaping. She looked perfectly….normal? She looked perfectly happy!

Naruto frowned. But…_why?!_

Now, Naruto knew he was not as bright as a lot of the jounin of their age. He didn't have Shikamaru's calculating mind, or Sakura-chan's medic-nin smarts or even Sasuke-kun's sporadic flashes of brilliance.

But, he prided himself on being able to read the people most precious to him - at least a bit. So, unless Naruto had been locked up in a box and forced to talk to a sock puppet for his entire twenty years, he was pretty sure Sakura shouldn't be happy right now.

In fact, he had been pretty sure she wasn't even going to show up today. He had been worried she might have drowned in a puddle of tears or gone out and made the forest her personal punching bag.

Because Sakura-chan had been in love with Sasuke-teme for ages. From the dawn of existence, and he should know. She hadn't given him a second glance when he had liked her. Oh no, it had always been "Sasuke-kun this" and "Sasuke-kun that." She'd cried for days when Sasuke, being the stupid bastard he was, had left them for that snake. And, in the end, she'd risked life and limb with him to bring Sasuke back.

_And, _today was Sasuke's wedding, after all.

But, he wasn't marrying Sakura.

Naruto hadn't understood that part either. The Sasuke _not _marrying Sakura part. All their friends knew they would – who else could take that ice block and be _happy_ with him?

But he had to go and screw things up again, like he always seemed to do.

They had been training together – Naruto and Sakura sparring with only their kunai and Sasuke was taking a break from working with Kakashi-sensei. And he'd just blurted it out, if Sasuke was the type to blurt.

-

"_Naruto. Sakura. I'm getting married in a month."_

_All motion ceased and there was silence for miles. A bird fluttered out of the trees and took off into the sky._

_Naruto had been the first to recover. _

"_Teme, you're kidding!"_

_Sasuke didn't dignify that with a "no" and instead continued._

"_Her name is Naoko. Her family is a prestigious one, from the Hidden Stone Village. The match would also do well for relations between them and Konoha, as things have been rock lately between us and the Stone."_

_Naruto and Sasuke both turned to Sakura when they heard a dull thud. _

_Her kunai had fallen dangerously close to her foot, and had speared into the soft ground._

"_Sakura-chan…?" Naruto said hesitantly._

_A pale face turned towards him, green eyes wide and luminous._

"_Ah," was all she had said._

_-  
_

Naruto came out of his thoughts as Sasuke gave him a slight shove as he made his way to the front of the altar. He was dressed in a dark navy suit with the Uchiha fan splashed across the back and his face was unreadable. The bride was already making her way down the last bit of the aisle, and Naruto could see many a girl in the crowd dabbing away the tears in their eyes.

_Well, except for Sakura-chan. Because the world was going crazy. _

Confusion and concern continued to war within the blonde as his long time rival and best friend exchanged vows and promised, "I do," to the girl he wasn't meant for and everyone knew it except, it seemed, for him.

-

"Naruto, was that Sakura I saw flirting with Hyuuga Neji?"

Naruto looked up from the large tray he was setting down on the reception table already groaning with the weight of all the food it was supporting.

_Best man, my butt. I'm stuck doing snack and punch duty, and I still need to go to the bathroom and then find Sakura-chan!_

"Eh? Kakashi-sensei? Sakura-chan is what?" Naruto snagged and stuffed a sandwich into his mouth as he looked questioningly up at his first mentor.

Hatake Kakashi gave a small chuckle, but his one eye belayed his concern.

"I know I haven't…," he cleared his throat. "Been as up-to-date with Team Seven as I should. I hardly see you guys, too, since all of you are always off on your own ANBU missions. But, I am concerned about Sakura. She's been pining for Sasuke since she was a kid. And now that he's.."

"Gotten himself hitched?" Naruto supplied.

"Er, right. Now that he's gotten himself hitched, I've been worried about how she might have taken it. Does she seem alright to you?"

Naruto took a big slurp from his cup of punch, a worried look stealing over his normally happy features.

"That's the thing, sensei. She looks alright. I haven't been able to talk to her but she's been fluttering around like one of Shino's butterflies, dattebayo."

And she really had been. Laughing with Ino about the blonde's latest boyfriend. Discussing a medic jutsu with Tsuande baa-chan. Making polite chit-chat about the benefits of certain team formations with Shikamaru. Fighting with Chouji over the last piece of cherry pie.

Naruto had seen all the concerned glances their friends had given Sakura, but they had seemed reassured when she came up to them with a bright smile, and didn't question her.

"NARUTO! We need more napkins from the back!"

The blonde inwardly groaned and gave an apologetic look to Konoha's Copy Nin.

"I have to go, sensei. I'll talk to you later. Keep an eye on Sakura-chan, ne?"

Kakashi nodded, and Naruto raced off. And true to his word, he turned his attention towards the sweetheart of former Team 7. She was pummelling Sai at the moment for another 'ugly' remark.

Kakashi let his elbow rest against the reception table, pushing up his crooked headband briefly that had fallen too low over his cheek, to reveal his sharingan. He gave a slight wave as Sakura shot him a smile, the frown beneath his mask deepening as he reflected on the way things were before he had agreed to babysit three brats who had grown into the finest ninja Konoha had to offer but who were still causing him to lose grey hairs even after all this time.

-

"And now ladies and gentlemen, may we present Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha Sasuke who will lead us into the first dance."

Soft music flooded the banquet hall, as the couple walked to the center of the room and began to sway to the music. Soon, other couples followed suit, and soon the slow song bled into a fast and happy swing.

Naruto walked over to the girl who was chatting amiably with Lee, who was making some comment about the wedding being a glorious example of the joys of youth, and Tenten – who said nothing of the sort and just gamely nodded.

"Ne, ne Sakura-chan! Dance with me dattebayo!"

Sakura looked up at Naruto and smiled.

"Why not? You better not step on my feet though, baka."

Naruto proudly led her to the dance floor.

"Hey Sakura-chan?" he said, when they had been waltzing for a while.

"Mm?"

"I'm really proud of you."

The pink haired girl cocked her head to the side, and gave a half smile – as if she wasn't quite sure what Naruto was talking about.

"You mean about my promotion at the hospital? You've already congratulated me about a thousand times," she said teasingly.

"No, it's not that, it's-"

"May I cut in?"

Naruto found his dance partner taken from him by Kiba.

After fuming for a while at being cut short, he looked around and saw Sasuke leaning against the wall. Naoko was chatting happily with a few of her girl friends and making her way towards her father, leaving Sasuke unattended for the first time the whole day.

Seizing this opportunity, Naruto bounded over and whacked his friend hard over the head.

"…Ow," the dark prodigy said without feeling. He inclined his head towards the blonde.

"And what was that for?"

"That was for Sakura-chan."

Sasuke stiffened, and his already black eyes seemed to darken.

"What about her?"

Naruto gave a dramatic sigh, but when he spoke, his voice was serious.

"I know I shouldn't be bringing this up on your wedding day. And you'll say it's not my business, but, screw that! It is, dattebayo! We're Team 7! I'm worried about Sakura-chan, but I'm also worried about you! Both of you have been acting so weird lately! This marriage was totally out of the blue. I know Sakura's heartbroken, but she's smiling like she just discovered a new jutsu, and you're here acting all stoic and manly and _married!_, for kami sakes, when I thought you were beginning to lov-"

Sasuke turned completely to face Naruto, his arms braced at his sides like he was trying to restrain himself from punching the daylights out of him.

"It's what's best for Konoha. It's..," Sasuke turned his face away, his jaw clenched. "It's the least I could do for what I've done."

Naruto lowered his voice.

"To hell with what you've done! I just want what's best for both of you. For all of us, dattebayo. Will you really be happy?"

Sasuke seemed to uncoil, the fight burning out of him.

"Hn. Who knows?"

The pair was silent for a while, laughter and music sifting into the lull between them.

"Sasuke!" Naoko called from another table, waving her new husband over.

Uchiha Sasuke turned to go, but Naruto put out a hand.

"Just one more question."

Naruto jerked his chin towards Naoko.

"Do you love her?"

The response was instantaneous.

"No."

Naruto nodded, and patted his friend on the back.

"You should try."

-

It was getting late, and well past midnight when the party had finally winded down. The guests filed out, and the newly weds bid them a goodnight at the door.

"Congrats, Sasuke-teme. I'll still be seein' you around ne? Just 'cause you're married, doesn't mean I'm lettin' you go soft on me, dattebayo! Congrats to you too Naoko. You look really pretty today."

Sasuke nodded and when he gave a ghost of his trademark smirk, Naruto knew all was fine between them. Naoko, the epitome of the blushing bride, thanked him profusely for coming to the wedding.

Naruto ambled out into the cold night air, when he heard a familiar voice. He turned around.

"Congratulations Sasuke. The ceremony was lovely. You were so beautiful, Naoko. I wish you both a very happy future."

Sakura smiled, and gave both Sasuke and Naoko a hug. Naoko blushed with pleasure, but Sasuke seemed almost shocked at the warm wishes. He stood stock still as she embraced him and could only nod.

Sakura waved goodbye, and walked out the door, where Naruto was waiting for her.

"Ne, ne Sakura-chan. I'll walk you home, dattebayo!"

She smiled and nodded.

The walk home was quiet. The stars were out in full view, breathtaking against the dark sky. Naruto strolled comfortably along the deserted streets, his arms behind his head, and his orange tie hanging precariously from his neck, forgotten. Sakura walked beside him, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

When they finally got to the large brown brick building where Sakura lived, they stopped. Naruto noticed Sakura had left a light on in her apartment.

He cleared his throat.

"You know…Sakura-chan. I was kind of worried about you, what with Sasuke getting married. I know you really…well, that doesn't matter now does it? We're still gonna be friends forever ne? Team 7 ain't ever gonna break up. No matter if we all go and get hitched. We've been through too much. I was actually kind of surprised you took it so well…not that I'm saying. But..yeah. I really am proud of you today, dattebayo. And if you ever need anything, you've got me and Kakashi-sensei and even Sai and..." Naruto gave a sheepish smile as his babbling came to an abrupt halt.

An awkward silence stretched out between them for a moment.

Sakura turned to Naruto and gave him a sad smile.

Then she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto blinked.

Comprehension slowly dawned on him.

"Oh. I see."

He sighed and turned back for home, with one last sad glance at the light still on from the third floor apartment.

-

Sakura was sitting on her faded blue couch, her legs folded against her chest and her head resting on her knees. She was oblivious to the cold night air that strayed in from an open window, drawing goosebumps up and down her bare arms. Her dirty pink locks hung over her tear streaked face. There was an empty ice cream carton on the coffee table in front of her.

She sighed and then suddenly, sat up with a start.

An onslaught of images, laughter, talk, music and the aroma of food had flooded into her tired mind.

Her face crumpled like rice paper as she processed all the information, and she curled up tighter as tears came unbidden.

"They used sakura for the flowers…"

-

OWARI


End file.
